department of state (nofo) - bureau of educational and

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Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): FY 2021 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Academic Fellowship Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0007847 Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) Number: 19.009 Key Date/Application Deadline: May 24, 2021 Program Description/Executive Summary: The Study of the U.S. Branch (ECA/A/E/USS), Office of Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposal submissions for the design, administration, and implementation of one of the following three academic program themes within the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI): the YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Civic Engagement, the YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Environmental Issues, or the YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Social Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. The total YSEALI Academic Fellowship consists of 12 Institutes (four per theme) for approximately 250 undergraduate students and recent graduates from Southeast Asia. Applicants may propose to implement a maximum of one Fellowship theme. See details in section A.5. Program Administration. Applicants will propose to host one Fellowship theme consisting of a total of four Institutes. Each Institute will host 20-22 participants from throughout Southeast Asia. Two of the four Institutes will take place in the spring of 2022 and two in the fall of 2022. Each Institute will be five weeks in duration and will include an approximately four-week academic residency at a U.S. college or university campus and an approximately one- week integrated educational study tour that includes time in Washington, D.C. at the conclusion of the Institute. Award recipients will coordinate with ECA to ensure participants are able to join a larger D.C.-based YSEALI Fellows Forum in the spring and fall. It is ECA’s intent to award three separate Cooperative Agreements under this solicitation, one for each of the three Fellowship themes (one base year plus two Non-Competitive Continuations) for an estimated total amount of $4,050,000 per award, pending successful performance and availability of funds. Please see section B. Federal Award Information below for additional details. Applicants can administer a Fellowship fully through sub-awards or may propose to directly implement up to two Institutes (one in spring, one in fall) and administer sub-awards for the remaining two Institutes in the Fellowship. No academic institution will be allowed to directly implement more than two Institutes in one calendar year. ECA welcomes applications from U.S. public and private non-profit organizations, consortium of organizations, and accredited post-secondary U.S. educational institutions meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Applicants may submit only one proposal under this competition. If multiple proposals are received from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared ineligible and receive no further consideration in the review process.

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Page 1: Department of State (NOFO) - Bureau of Educational and

Department of State

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Notice of Funding Opportunity

(NOFO): FY 2021 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Academic Fellowship

Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0007847

Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) Number: 19.009

Key Date/Application Deadline: May 24, 2021

Program Description/Executive Summary: The Study of the U.S. Branch

(ECA/A/E/USS), Office of Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and

Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposal submissions for the design, administration, and

implementation of one of the following three academic program themes within the Young

Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI): the YSEALI Academic Fellowship on

Civic Engagement, the YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Environmental Issues, or the

YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Social Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.

The total YSEALI Academic Fellowship consists of 12 Institutes (four per theme) for

approximately 250 undergraduate students and recent graduates from Southeast Asia.

Applicants may propose to implement a maximum of one Fellowship theme. See details

in section A.5. Program Administration.

Applicants will propose to host one Fellowship theme consisting of a total of four

Institutes. Each Institute will host 20-22 participants from throughout Southeast Asia.

Two of the four Institutes will take place in the spring of 2022 and two in the fall of 2022.

Each Institute will be five weeks in duration and will include an approximately four-week

academic residency at a U.S. college or university campus and an approximately one-

week integrated educational study tour that includes time in Washington, D.C. at the

conclusion of the Institute. Award recipients will coordinate with ECA to ensure

participants are able to join a larger D.C.-based YSEALI Fellows Forum in the spring and

fall.

It is ECA’s intent to award three separate Cooperative Agreements under this

solicitation, one for each of the three Fellowship themes (one base year plus two

Non-Competitive Continuations) for an estimated total amount of $4,050,000 per

award, pending successful performance and availability of funds. Please see section

B. Federal Award Information below for additional details. Applicants can

administer a Fellowship fully through sub-awards or may propose to directly implement

up to two Institutes (one in spring, one in fall) and administer sub-awards for the

remaining two Institutes in the Fellowship. No academic institution will be allowed to

directly implement more than two Institutes in one calendar year. ECA welcomes

applications from U.S. public and private non-profit organizations, consortium of

organizations, and accredited post-secondary U.S. educational institutions meeting the

provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Applicants

may submit only one proposal under this competition. If multiple proposals are received

from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared ineligible and receive no further

consideration in the review process.

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ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets, participant

numbers, themes, format, the number of Institutes, and/or countries based on program

needs and the availability of U.S. government funding (see section C. Eligibility

Information.)

A. Program Description: Overall grant making authority for this program is contained

in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as

amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is “to enable the

Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of

the United States and the people of other countries...; to strengthen the ties which unite us

with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments,

and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations...and thus to assist

in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United

States and the other countries of the world.” The funding authority for the program

above is provided through legislation.

A.1. Purpose: The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) is designed to

strengthen leadership development across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

(ASEAN), deepen engagement with young leaders on key regional and global challenges,

and strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and Southeast Asia.

YSEALI, which began in 2013, is a broad U.S. government initiative with a number of

components that include educational exchanges, professional skills-building workshops

in the region, online networking, project seed money, and the YSEALI Academy at

Fulbright University in Vietnam.

The Academic Fellowship component of the greater YSEALI program is targeted at

undergraduate students and recent graduates in Southeast Asia, and includes an intensive

academic residency, community service activities, leadership development, and an

integrated study tour. Institutes should provide participants with an in-depth examination

of Civic Engagement, Environmental Issues, or Social Entrepreneurship and Economic

Development, while also heightening their awareness of the history and evolution of U.S.

society, culture, values, and institutions, broadly defined. Institutes should address the

influence of principles and values such as international cooperation, democracy, diversity

and inclusion, equality, freedom of expression, individual rights, the rule of law, and

tolerance, and should also incorporate a focus on contemporary American life.

A.2. Overview: All YSEALI Academic Fellowship Institutes should be approximately

five weeks long and held at an academic institution in the United States. U.S. public and

private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions of a 501(c)3 are eligible to apply

as a sub-award recipient; however, the Institutes should take place on a U.S. college or

university campus. (See section A.5 Program Administration for more information on

host institutions.) Recipients will be responsible for providing guidelines for curricula to

host institutions to promote a consistent level of quality and thematic content in each

Institute. The academic residency should include group discussions, experiential learning

activities, and exercises that focus on the theme and include aspects of leadership,

teambuilding, collective problem-solving skills, effective communication, and

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3

management skills. Therefore, participants should gain both theoretical knowledge and

practical skills.

In addition to the academic coursework, Institutes should include practical hands-on

experiences related to the given theme. Site visits in the community should provide

opportunities to observe and participate in varied aspects of American life as they relate

to the program topic, and to discuss lessons learned in the academic program. Institutes

should also include a weekly community service component in which the Fellows

experience firsthand the key role of not-for-profit organizations and volunteerism as a

core value in American civil society. Institutes should highlight the importance of

community service and discuss impacts of the activity in the community.

Each Institute should be five weeks in length; participants should spend approximately

four weeks at a U.S. academic institution and approximately seven days on an integrated

educational study tour that concludes in Washington, D.C. Programming during the D.C.

component should include a closing event (one in spring and one in fall) that will bring

together 125 Academic Fellows from all three thematic tracks; and participation in the

YSEALI Fellowship Forum, an event that will bring together the YSEALI Academic and

YSEALI Professional Fellows, the latter of which are supported under a separate ECA

award, for an opportunity to share program experiences, network across programs,

engage with Department of State officials and members of the diplomatic community.

Both events will be planned in close consultation with the ECA program office.

All programming should foster ECA’s mission to promote mutual understanding between

citizens of other countries and citizens of the United States. Thus, programs should

include robust opportunities for participants to meet Americans from a variety of

backgrounds, interact with their U.S. peers, and speak to appropriate student and civic

groups about their experiences and life in their home countries. Please see the Project

Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document for more information.

ECA’s goal is to resume in-person YSEALI exchange programs prior to spring 2022.

However, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on travel, national/local

mandates and university operations, it is unclear when current travel restrictions and

health advisories will allow for in-person program activities to take place. As such,

proposals should include language to demonstrate maximum flexibility, creativity, and a

rapid response factor for program planning and administration. Applicants should also

address the steps taken to ensure continuity of services should the current situation

continue for an extended period of time. As relevant, the applicant should present

innovative options for virtual activities to augment, and/or substitute for, in-person

engagement with all program stakeholders if exchange travel continues to not be

possible.

A.3. Institute Themes: All Institutes should enhance participants’ knowledge of U.S.

history, government, institutions, society, and culture. In this context, Institutes should

incorporate a focus on American historical events and current political, social, and

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economic aspects of contemporary American life. Discussions should center on the

diverse character of American society.

1) The YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Civic Engagement should provide participants

with an overview of how citizens, both as individuals and in groups, have shaped U.S.

history, government, and society. The academic program should define civic

engagement, examine its development in the United States, and explore topics such as

active citizenship, community building, economic development, grassroots activism,

political leadership, volunteerism, and the ways in which traditional and social media

can be leveraged to advance civic causes. In order to define the content of the

Institute and enhance the academic experience, proposals may choose to focus on one

of the following sub-themes: education, public health, civil rights and social justice,

and community resilience. To the extent possible, academic sessions should be

complemented with hands-on sessions or workshops designed to build skills in the

topics mentioned above. The Institute should encourage participants to develop

innovative and practical plans to become engaged citizens in their own communities.

2) The YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Environmental Issues should explore the role

that environmental issues and policies have played in the economic, political, and

social development of the United States. Institutes should use experiential learning

techniques to expose participants to current themes in the field, including climate

change, ocean protection, renewable energy, pollution, public health and safety,

emergency and disaster management, land use, sustainable development,

conservation, sustainable agricultural practices, food security, illegal and unreported

fishing, ecotourism, and water access, management and treatment. The issues should

be explored from numerous angles, including local grassroots activism and civic

initiatives, impacts on marginalized communities, global multilateral efforts, the

private sector, and government policies and regulation. Finally, Institutes in this

theme should explore climate change and environmental issues in the context of a

globalized society, and draw comparisons between the United States and the

participants’ home countries.

3) The YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Social Entrepreneurship and Economic

Development should provide participants with an overview of U.S. entrepreneurial

strategies that are employed to address social issues. Institutes under this theme

should review the development, history, challenges, and successes of social

enterprises and community leaders in the United States and globally, with specific

relevance to Southeast Asia. Topics may include, but are not limited to, economic

and social justice initiatives; investment; social capital development; strategies for

sustainable economic development; financial literacy; microfinance; organizational

development and management; innovation; risk analysis; strategic business planning;

corporate social responsibility; and women and minorities in entrepreneurship. To

the extent possible, academic sessions should be complemented with hands-on

sessions or workshops designed to build skills in the topics mentioned above.

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A.4. Overview of Media and Outreach: The proposal should address the recipient’s

ability to create and maintain a YSEALI Academic Fellowship website for their

particular theme. The award recipient must ensure that all posted website content is, and

remains, current and correct. ECA may request that website content be added or removed

in a timely manner. On occasion, ECA may also request that the recipient assist in

promoting and coordinating opportunities for participants and Fellowship Alumni with

other elements of YSEALI, including the YSEALI Professional Fellowship, the latter of

which is supported under a separate award, and the YSEALI Network.

Publications, program materials, and all other online platforms, including social media

and websites, should explain the mission of the YSEALI Academic Fellowship and

emphasize the U.S. Department of State’s role as the program’s sponsor and manager.

As such, all materials should note that “The YSEALI Academic Fellowship is a program

of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and

administered by [award recipient].” When applicable, the note should include a link to

the program website, https://asean.usmission.gov/yseali/. This language should appear

prominently on all print and electronic materials and should precede any language

regarding the role of the award recipient in administering the program. Publications

should prominently feature the YSEALI logo and the U.S. Department of State seal in

accordance with established guidelines. The outreach strategy and all publication

materials, including cover designs, must be submitted to ECA for approval prior to

publication and dissemination. Please see the POGI for more information.

A.5. Program Administration: ECA is seeking detailed proposals from accredited U.S.

post-secondary higher education institutions (community colleges, liberal arts colleges,

public and private universities) and U.S. public and private non-profit organizations,

meeting the eligibility requirements outlined below.

ECA intends to issue up to three Cooperative Agreements for the administration and

implementation of the program. Applicants should propose to administer four Institutes

under one of the three themes. The recipient may propose to administer Institutes

through sub-awards or may propose to implement up to two of the Institutes (one in

spring, one in fall) and administer sub-awards to host institutions to conduct the

remaining Institutes. No institution will be permitted to host more than two Institutes in

one calendar year. Applicants may only propose to implement Institutes under one

theme.

The recipient will serve as the lead administrator and will be responsible for the oversight

of all aspects of this project, including managing and monitoring performance of all sub-

award recipients. All proposals should demonstrate any regional and thematic expertise.

Participating countries and regions will be determined by ECA, in coordination with the

Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies abroad and the Bureau of East Asian and

Pacific Affairs (EAP) at the Department of State.

A.6. Participants: Award recipients will not participate in the selection of candidates,

but may assist the ECA program office in the collection of nomination forms. U.S.

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6

embassies and consulates in Southeast Asia will take the lead on the recruitment of

qualified candidates and ECA will make final participant selection decisions.

Participants will be undergraduate students or recent graduates aged 18-25 from ASEAN

member countries (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines,

Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and Timor-Leste. ECA will make the final decisions

regarding participating countries and reserves the right to adjust the participating

countries, participant numbers, themes, and Institute dates based upon Department

priorities. Please see the POGI for more information on participants.

A.7. Overview of Alumni/Follow-on Activities:

Proposals should provide plans for continued follow-on activities that ensure that ECA-

supported programs are not isolated events. Proposals may include ideas for small seed

grants, reciprocal exchanges to collaborate with alumni on projects across Southeast

Asia, in-region trainings, virtual skill-building workshops, speakers, and other follow-on

alumni programming with accompanying information regarding how it will be

coordinated with existing alumni efforts.

Proposals should include plans for a small grant component encouraging collaboration on

a project and a sharing of best practices among alumni. Proposals should also include a

way to recognize outstanding alumni who have a strong record of demonstrated

leadership and advocacy on behalf of the Fellowship. Applicants are encouraged to

propose ways to provide technical support to Fellowship alumni, including but not

limited to reciprocal exchanges, in support of follow-on activities.

A.8. Program Guidelines: The award recipient is responsible for the conception,

structure, and monitoring of all Institutes under the proposed theme. Proposals must

provide a detailed and comprehensive narrative describing the goals and objectives of the

overall Institute; academic program content and curricula; budgets; and alumni activities.

Proposals should also include a sample academic syllabus and calendar demonstrating

how the proposed components relate to the overall theme of the Institute and entire

project. The proposal should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to recruit host colleges,

universities, or non-profit organizations that reflect regional and other forms of diversity,

including public, private, urban, rural, minority-serving institutions, and community

colleges. Institutes must take place on a U.S. college or university campus.

Overall, proposals will be reviewed on the basis of their responsiveness to NOFO criteria

listed in Section E.1. Review Criteria. The POGI provides program-specific guidelines

that all proposals must address fully.

A.9. Substantial Involvement: In a Cooperative Agreement, the Study of the U.S.

Branch (ECA/A/E/USS) is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond

routine monitoring. The Branch may request that award recipients make modifications to

the academic residency and/or educational travel components of the program. Award

recipients will be required to obtain approval of significant program changes in advance

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of their implementation. These activities and the roles and responsibilities of the

Department and the award recipients are outlined in the attached POGI.

ECA will provide advice and assistance on the Academic Fellowship as indicated in the

POGI. ECA may request that recipients make modifications to their programs.

Recipients will be required to obtain approval of significant program changes in advance

of their implementation.

Proposal narratives should include a commitment to implement their programs for the

base year, plus two additional non-competitive continuations, pending successful

performance and availability of funds. The narrative should focus on details specific to

the implementation of the base year programs, with the understanding that program

design, duration, and participant numbers would be similar when/if the subsequent two

non-competitive continuations are exercised. ECA will perform an annual performance

evaluation/review to determine if a non-competitive continuation will be exercised.

Satisfactory performance and the availability of funds is a condition of continued

administration of the program and execution of all non-competitive continuations.

B. Federal Award Information:

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement

ECA’s level of involvement in this program is listed under section A. Program

Description above.

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2021 base year, up to $4,050,000; FY 2022 Non-Competitive

Continuation year one, up to $4,050,000, pending successful performance and the

availability of funds; FY 2023 Non-Competitive Continuation year two, up to $4,050,000

pending successful performance and the availability of funds.

Approximate Total Funding: $12,150,000. This figure represents base year plus two

Non-Competitive Continuation years, pending successful performance and the

availability of funds.

Approximate Number of Awards: Three awards.

Floor of Award Range: None

Ceiling of Award Range: $4,050,000 for FY 2021 base year (or $12,150,000 for the

base year plus two Non-Competitive Continuation years).

Approximate Average Award: $1,350,000 for FY 2021 base year (for four Institutes

per award) or $4,050,000 for base year plus two Non-Competitive Continuation years.

Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2021.

Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 30, 2025. This date reflects the

anticipated duration of the award – one base year plus two Non-Competitive

Continuation years.

Additional Information: Up to three Cooperative Agreements will be awarded for a

period of 18 months (base year) with Non-Competitive Continuations for two additional

18-month periods (Non-Competitive Continuation years one and two). ECA will notify

the recipient of our intention to exercise or not to exercise a Non-Competitive

Continuation at least 90 days in advance of expiration of the current year after an internal

evaluation of the recipient’s performance. The decision to exercise a Non-Competitive

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Continuation will depend both on the satisfactory performance of the recipient and the

availability of funds.

C. Eligibility Information:

C.1. Eligible applicants: U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the

provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit

applications for this competition. Applicants must have nonprofit status with the IRS at

the time of application. Please see the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for

additional information.

All applicants must also have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and be registered

in SAM.gov (see additional information about this requirement in D.3a. and D.3c.

below).

C.2. Other Eligibility Requirements:

a.) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less than four years of

experience in conducting international exchanges be limited to $130,000 in Bureau

funding. ECA anticipates making three awards, in an average amount over $130,000, to

support program and administrative costs required to implement this exchange program.

Therefore, organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting

international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition.

b.) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the requirements stated in

the NOFO, POGI, and the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI); non-compliance will

result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and given no further

consideration in the review process. ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or

increase proposal budgets, participant numbers, the number of programs, themes,

format, and/or countries based on program needs and the availability of U.S.

government funding.

c.) Eligible applicants may not submit more than one proposal in this competition. If

more than one proposal is received from the same applicant, all submissions will be

declared technically ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the review

process. Please note: Applicant organizations are defined by their legal name, and EIN

number as stated on their completed SF-424 and additional supporting documentation

outlined in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document.

C.3. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or maximum percentage

required for this competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide

maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.

When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide

the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved

agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For

accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs which are claimed

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9

as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records

are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions

must be in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s Guidance 2 CFR

Parts 200 and 600, entitled the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles,

and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. In the event you do not provide the

minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's

contribution will be reduced in like proportion.

D. Application and Submission Information: Please read the complete

announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the NOFO

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until

the proposal review process has been completed.

D.1. Contact Information to Request an Application Package: To request a

Solicitation Package, please contact Study of the U.S. Branch (ECA/A/E/USS) Program

Officers Kevin Orchison, [email protected] or (202) 255-7108 or Ian Billard

([email protected] or (202) 394-9199.

The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) document

which consists of required application forms and standard guidelines for proposal

preparation.

It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document,

which provides specific information, award criteria, and budget instructions tailored to

this competition.

Please specify Kevin Orchison or Ian Billard and refer to the Funding Opportunity

Number located at the top of this announcement on all other inquiries and

correspondence.

D.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire Solicitation

Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's website at

http://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding or from the Grants.gov website at

http://www.grants.gov.

D.2a. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all instructions in the

Solicitation Package. The application should be submitted per the instructions under

D.3o. “Application Deadline and Method of Submission” section below.

D.3a. Unique Entity Identifier Number: You are required to have a Unique Entity

Identifier (UEI) number to apply for a Grant or Cooperative Agreement from the U.S.

Government. This number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely

identifies business entities. Obtaining a UEI number is easy and there is no charge. To

obtain a UEI number, access http://www.dnb.com or call 1-866-705-5711. Please ensure

that your UEI (Data Universal Numbering System or DUNS) number is included in the

appropriate box of the SF – 424 which is part of the formal application package. For

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more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI (DUNS) number, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-

duns-number.html

D.3b. Required Proposal Elements: All proposals must contain an executive

summary, proposal narrative, budget, and budget narrative.

D.3c. Required Registration with the System for Award Management (SAM): All

federal award applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM)

database in order to submit a proposal in response to an open competition on Grants.gov.

All federal award recipients must maintain a current registration in the SAM database.

Recipients must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in www.SAM.gov until all

program and financial activity and reporting is completed on any issued award.

Recipients must review and update the information at least annually after the initial

registration and more frequently if required information changes or another award is

granted. There is no cost associated with registering or updating SAM.gov accounts.

Failure to register in SAM.gov will render applicants ineligible to receive funding.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-

with-sam.html

D.3d. Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS):

Prior to making a Federal Assistance award over $250,000, the Federal agency is

required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in FAPIIS

(see 41 U.S.C. 2313) and accessible through SAM.gov. If an Applicant is currently in

FAPIIS, they can comment on any information about its organization that a Federal

awarding agency previously entered. The Federal awarding agency will consider any

comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in making a

judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance

under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as

described in 2 CFR §200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by

applicants.

D.3e. Required Registration with SAMS Domestic: All ECA award recipient

organizations and recipient contacts and signatories must be registered with the U.S.

Department of State’s SAMS Domestic by accessing

https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com and clicking the “create an account” link.

SAMS Domestic is the U.S. Department of State’s grants management system and is

supported by the Department’s Integrated Logistics Management System (ILMS).

Recipient organizations and recipient contacts and signatories that have previously used

SAMS Domestic as a U.S. Department of State award recipient do not need to register

again. If the organization is not able to access the system, please contact the ILMS Help

Desk for help in gaining access.

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Support for Recipient Organizations and recipient contacts and signatories is available 24

hours, 7 days a week (except federal holidays), and can be reached at 1-888-313-ILMS

(4567) or through the ILMS Self Service Portal at

https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/.

In the event the ILMS Help Desk is unable to provide you with assistance in a timely

manner, please contact [email protected] and copy the program officer

associated with the solicitation.

Please take into consideration the following information when preparing your proposal

narrative:

D.3f. Adherence To All Regulations Governing The J Visa: The Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically important emphases on the security and

proper administration of the Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award

recipients and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals

should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing the

administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the

oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and

selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to

participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms,

record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.

The award recipient will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this

program.

A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of Exchange Visitor (J)

programs is available at http://j1visa.state.gov or from:

Office of Designation, Private Sector Programs Division

U.S. Department of State

SA-4E (Bldg. 3)

2430 E Street, NW

Washington, DC 20037

Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.

D.3g. Diversity, Freedom, and Democracy Guidelines: Pursuant to the Bureau's

authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-political character and should be

balanced and representative of the diversity of political, social, and cultural life in the

United States and abroad. ‘Diversity’ should be interpreted in the broadest sense and

encompass differences including race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion,

geographic location, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender

identity. Proposals should demonstrate how diversity will enhance the program’s goals

and objectives and the participants’ exchange experience. Please refer to the review

criteria under the 'Support of Diversity' section of this document as well as the

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12

DIVERSITY, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY section in the “Proposal Submission

Instructions” document for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into the total

proposal.

Public Law 104-319 provides that "in carrying out programs of educational and cultural

exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy," the

Bureau "shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such

programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries." Public Law 106 -

113 requires that the governments of the countries described above do not have

inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of

these goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.

D.3h. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: A performance monitoring framework is

vital to tracking the performance and the direction, pace, and magnitude of change that

results from ECA programs. This section pertains to performance monitoring in

particular, as this type of monitoring is distinct from grants monitoring or other program

monitoring discussed elsewhere in this solicitation. Performance monitoring is designed

to assess progress against established goals and objectives across the Bureau and as

established for each award.

The Bureau recommends the use of a Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) for each

award. The PMP is an important part of any proposal, as it outlines how the applicant

plans to track progress towards the proposed program’s goals and objectives through

indicators and corresponding data collection questions. These corresponding data

collection questions help ensure that the data is being collected in a uniform way across

the entire Bureau.

For this proposal and the resulting Cooperative Agreement(s)/Grant(s), the Bureau

recommends the applicant include the programmatic objectives and indicators listed

below:

Objective 1: Advance participant and beneficiary cross-cultural competence and

global perspective

o Sub-Objective 1.1: Promote cultural exchanges and enhance

understanding between participants and their host communities

Indicator 1: Percent of foreign participants with more favorable

opinions of the United States Government

Indicator 2: Percent foreign participants with more favorable

opinions of the American People

Indicator 3: Percent of foreign participants indicating a change in

understanding of United States culture and values

Indicator 4: Percent of foreign participants expressing support of

democratic values

Indicator 5: Percent of participants who traveled abroad for the

first time on an ECA exchange program

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13

Indicator 6: Percent of foreign participants who traveled to the

United States for the first time on an ECA exchange program

Objective 2: Increase the impact that participants and alumni have on their

communities / countries

o Sub-Objective 2.1: Foster participant’s belief that civic engagement

benefits communities/countries

Indicator 7: Percent of participants who believe that they can have

an impact on their community or country

Objective 3: Strengthen engagement among participants, alumni, beneficiaries,

and institutions

Indicator 8: Percent of participants who identify as a Department

of State program alumni

Indicator 9: Percent of alumni who are still in contact with ECA

program participants, beneficiaries, and/or institutions

Indicator 10: Percent of participants who report increasing their

network of Americans

Objective 4: Strengthen a regional/multi-country ASEAN identity among

participants and alumni

Indicator 11: Percent of participants and alumni who report self-

identification as part of a regional ASEAN community

Indicator 12: Percent of participants who report increasing their

network of peers in the ASEAN community from countries other

than their own

Objective 5: Strengthen personal, professional, and technical abilities and

aptitudes of participants and beneficiaries

Indicator 13: Percent of participants reporting increases in their

job skills through training, internships, and/or mentoring they

received as part of their exchange program

Indicator 14: Percent of alumni reporting that they have used

language skills gained through ECA program participation

o Sub-Objective 5.1: Participants engage in language, academic,

professional, and cultural exchange programs

Indicator 15: Number of total participants

Objective 6: Increase the contribution of exchange programs to local economies

in the U.S., and engagement of U.S. businesses, non-governmental organizations,

and educational institutions in ECA programming

o Sub-Objective 6.1: Exchange participants support local economy during

their visit

Indicator 16: Amount of U.S. dollars spent by foreign exchange

participants during their exchange

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14

Indicator 17: Number of educational institutions supporting ECA

programs

Objective 7: Enhance the quality and effectiveness of ECA programs by

leveraging the Bureau’s resources, policy, and stakeholder relationships

Indicator 18: Dollar amount ($) spent on monitoring and

evaluation activities

ECA recommends that applicants use the indicators listed in this section as the minimum

requirement for measurement. Applicant-designed objectives and indicators that are

specific to the proposed program and this proposal should be added as necessary to

sufficiently measure the relevant proposed program outputs, outcomes, and impact over

the course of the proposed period of performance.

PMPs

Please see below for a sample PMP and accompanying instructions. While ECA

recommends the applicant use the format provided, this is not a requirement. However,

all content present below should be included in any presentation of a PMP that the

applicant submits. Successful PMPs should include the following:

Programmatic objectives, which are statements of the condition(s) or state(s) the

program is designed to achieve. Objectives are therefore bound by the resources

and timeframe of the program and must be specific, measurable, attainable,

relevant and time-bound (SMART). In addition to those outlined above, the

applicant may propose other program objectives from the Functional Bureau

Strategy, MODE Results Framework (both found here:

https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau) or other applicant-designed program-specific

objectives. For more information on SMART see the ECA Evaluation Division’s

website: https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-evaluation-division/capacity-building.

ECA recommends the proposed PMPs include a minimum of one programmatic

objective for each goal included in the PMP.

Performance indicators are measures used to gauge progress toward

programmatic objectives. Indicators should be as specific as possible (following

the SMART principles) and include any proposed disaggregations.

o In addition to those outlined above, the applicant may propose additional

program-specific indicators in the PMP.

o ECA recommends the proposed PMPs include a minimum of one indicator

for each programmatic objective.

o Baseline data (whether collected specifically for the program at the

beginning of the award or from a previously existing source) for each

indicator shall be included where relevant, as well as the target number to

be achieved for each indicator.

The responsibility will be on the Bureau to measure outcomes of ECA participants at

one-, three-, and five-years after their exchange has ended to capture the long-term

impact of ECA programming. Award recipients are responsible for collecting indicator

Page 15: Department of State (NOFO) - Bureau of Educational and

15

data on participant outcomes only during the period of performance of the exchange itself

(see the PMP for guidelines as to when these data collection efforts should occur).

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE M&E NARRATIVE

ECA recommends that there be a narrative section within the program narrative sections

of the proposal that outlines how the applicant intends to measure the indicators outlined

in the PMP. This section will be separate from the PMP and should include but not be

limited to:

An overview of resources available to the applicant that outline the applicant’s

team structure and responsibilities surrounding performance monitoring;

The mechanism(s) through which surveys and other data collection tools (if

applicable) will be administered, including: which platform will be used, how

they will be advertised to participants and when – detailing strategies to ensure

adequate survey response rates and reduce selection and non-response bias;

A brief explanation of data analysis and reporting procedures; and

An overview of the proposed learning plan and feedback loops to ensure that the

GO/GOR are informed on performance monitoring issues at regular intervals.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The State Assistance Management System Domestic (SAMS-D) is a database solution

that serves as the official system of record for all U.S. Department of State and ECA

awards. The Results Performance Monitoring (RPM) module within SAMS-D is an

extension module that enables users to report performance monitoring data in the same

system where they currently manage federal assistance actions. As part of ECA’s efforts

to streamline data collection and management, any recipients of this award will be

required to input performance reporting data outlined in this solicitation into the SAMS-

D RPM. The data stored in the SAMS-D RPM will provide ECA with a bureau-wide,

uniform M&E reporting tool that is already linked with other elements of the awards and

that existing awardees are familiar with. There is a one-time 3-hour required SAMS-D

RPM module training that designated staff of award recipient organizations will need to

attend to gain access to the system. Also, as part of the reporting requirements, award

recipients will also be required to provide ECA with the raw data for surveys in a CSV

file through SAMS-D.

PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN

Applicant Name: Example Organization

Fiscal Year and

Program Title:

FY## Example Program

Funding Opportunity

#:

SFOP000XXXX

Instructions: A performance monitoring plan (PMP) describes the proposed indicators to

be captured that demonstrate progress toward achieving the objectives of the program.

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16

The table below includes the recommended programmatic objectives and indicators as

indicated in the solicitation document. Within this table, please provide any additional

applicant-designed objectives and indicators that are specific to the proposed program

that measure the relevant outputs, outcomes, and results over the course of the award’s

proposed period of performance. (Note: the placement of two rows for applicant-

designed indicators is arbitrary – the applicant can add or delete rows as necessary).

While ECA recommends the applicant use the format provided, this is not a requirement.

However, all content present below should be included in any presentation of a PMP that

the applicant submits. Successful PMPs should include the following:

Completion: All components of the PMP are included.

Inclusion of ECA Standard indicators: Includes the standardized ECA indicators

pre-populated in the PMP and listed in the solicitation without any adapting of the

definitions, data sources, collection timelines and responsible entities.

Baselines and targets: Baselines and targets are included and realistic. If there is no

baseline to report, there should be a plan for how to obtain or produce the value in

the future.

If the applicant chooses to include any applicant-designed objectives and indicators,

successful applicants will include the following elements:

SMART Objectives and Indicators: Objectives and Indicators should follow

SMART principles

(https://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/a_good_start_with_smart.pdf).

Details of indicators: All basic information of the indicators (definition, data source

and question, collection timeline and responsible entity) should be included. The

definitions of the standardized ECA indicators should be used as examples of

what to include and the format.

Depth of indicators: Outcomes should be used where possible to demonstrate if a

program is meeting its objectives. While outputs are important to understand if a

program achieved what it was meant to do, outcomes demonstrate the larger

effect of the program.

Indicator Structure: Ensures that the indicator does not measure multiple things

(participants AND host families), does not start with a direction (“Increase” is a

result, “Number of” is an indicator), and should reports numeric data (“good test

results” is not an indicator).

Redundancy: There should be a clear and distinct reason for each indicator, and the

indicator should not overlap with ECA standard indicators. Each indicator should

be clearly linked to either an ECA standard objective or a custom objective.

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17

Consistency with ECA Indicators: Key terms are defined the same way.

Disaggregations align where appropriate, and calculations follow the same

structure.

Definitions of PMP Columns

Performance Indicator: An observable or measurable characteristic that indicates the

extent to which a program objective is being achieved. Specify if the indicator is an ECA

standard indicator or a custom indicator.

Definition: Clarifies all terms necessary, provides details on how to calculate the data

collected to measure the change expected, and includes any disaggregation (male/female;

country; region; age; etc.) that needs to be reported for the indicator.

Baseline: The value of an indicator before the implementation of a program.

Target: Specific, planned level of result to be achieved within an explicit timeframe.

Data Source and Question: Specifies how the data will be obtained (such as a survey,

observation, interview, etc.) and the mandatory question linked to the data collection.

When to Collect: Specifies when the indicator will be measured, for example: post-

program, end of award, etc.

A post-program collection should occur no earlier than before the participant

departs the United States and no later than 6 weeks after an activity has ended.

Award recipients are responsible for collecting indicator data on participant

outputs and outcomes during the period of performance of the exchange itself.

Any anticipated data collection that occurs post-program should include specific

details of when the data collection will occur. Note: The onus will be on the

Bureau to measure outcomes of ECA participants at one-, three-, and five-years

after their exchange has ended to capture the long-term effects of ECA

programming.

Entity Responsible: Person or entity responsible for collecting the data.

Performance

Indicator

Definition Baseline Target Data Source and

Question

When to

Collect

Entity

Responsible

ECA Objective 1: Advance participant and beneficiary cross-cultural competence and global perspective

ECA Sub-Objective 1.1: Promote cultural exchanges and enhance understanding between participants and their host

communities

Percent of

foreign

participants

with more favorable

Participant is a

person or group of

persons that has

directly participated in, and benefits from,

To be

completed

by the

applicant

To be

completed

by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported

data):

How did your views of

the United States government and the

Post-

Program:

A post-

program collection

Award

recipient

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18

opinions of the

United States

Government

an ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency

Each respondent

should only be

counted once per reporting year

following their

program completion.

Calculations

To determine the percent value,

numerator is number

of respondents who

reply “more favorable” about the

United States

Government while denominator is the

total number of

survey respondents. Divide the numerator

by the denominator

and then multiply by

100 for the percent value.

American people

change as a result of

your program participation?

United States

government

American People

Scale: less favorable, no change – my view

remained unfavorable

throughout, no change

– my view remained favorable throughout,

more favorable

should

occur no

earlier than before the

participant

departs the

United States and

no later

than 6 weeks after

an activity

has ended.

Percent of

foreign participants

with more

favorable

opinions of the American

People

Participant is a

person or group of persons that has

directly participated

in, and benefits from,

an ECA exchange program.

Count Frequency Each respondent

should only be

counted once per

reporting year following their

program completion.

Calculations

To determine the

percent value, numerator is number

of respondents who

respond “more

To be

completed by the

applicant

To be

completed by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported

data): How did your views of

the United States

government and the

American people change as a result of

your program

participation?

United States government

American People

Scale: less favorable,

no change – my view remained unfavorable

throughout, no change

– my view remained favorable throughout,

more favorable

Post-

Program: A post-

program

collection

should occur no

earlier than

before the participant

departs the

United

States and no later

than 6

weeks after an activity

has ended.

Award

recipient

Page 19: Department of State (NOFO) - Bureau of Educational and

19

favorable” about the

American people

while denominator is the total number of

survey respondents.

Percent of

foreign participants

indicating a

change in understanding

of United

States culture

and values

Participant is a

person or group of persons that has

directly participated

in, and benefits from, an ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency Each respondent

should only be

counted once per reporting year

following their

program completion.

Calculations

Responses to each

item should be scored in the following

manner:

No change – 1 Minimal change – 2

Moderate change – 3

Substantial change – 4

The response scores

for each item should be summed and

divided by the

number of items they responded to in order

to give a total

question score for

each respondent.

To determine the

percent value, numerator is number

of respondents whose

response value is 2 or greater while

denominator is the

total number of

To be

completed by the

applicant

To be

completed by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported

data): How much did

participation in the

program change your understanding or

knowledge of the

following topics?

United States

democracy

United States economy

Foreign affairs in the

United States

Domestic affairs in

the United States

United States values and culture

Daily life in the

United States

Religious and ethnic

diversity in the United States

Freedom of speech

and press in the

United States

Voluntary community service in

the United States

Scale: no change, minimal change,

moderate change,

substantial change

Post-

Program: A post-

program

collection should

occur no

earlier than

before the participant

departs the

United States and

no later

than 6 weeks after

an activity

has ended.

Award

recipient

Page 20: Department of State (NOFO) - Bureau of Educational and

20

survey respondents.

Divide the numerator

by the denominator and then multiply by

100 for the percent

value.

Percent of foreign

participants

expressing support of

democratic

values

Participant is a person or group of

persons that has

directly participated in, and benefits from,

an ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency Each respondent

should only be counted once per

reporting year

following their program completion.

Calculations The values for each response are

combined and

divided by the total number of response

categories answered,

producing the average value for an

individual respondent

to that question. The

indicator value is the percentage of

respondents whose

average value is greater than or equal

to 4 on a 1-5 scale

(respondents

indicating, on average, that they

agree or strongly

agree); denominator is total number of

respondents. Divide

the numerator by the denominator and then

multiply by 100 for

the percent value.

To be completed

by the

applicant

To be completed

by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported data):

To what extent do you

agree or disagree with the statements below?

• Voting is important

because real decisions

are made in elections • Free and fair

elections are the

cornerstone of democracy

• An independent

media is important to the free flow of

information

• All citizens in a

country should have equal rights and

protections under the

law, regardless of circumstances

• The Rule of Law is

fundamental to a functioning democracy

• Individuals and

organizations have the

right to free speech and to voice opposition

• Democratic

principles enhance the workplace. Supervisors

should incorporate

democratic principles

into their management practices

[Scale – Strongly Disagree, Disagree,

Neither Agree not

Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree]

Post-Program:

A post-

program collection

should

occur no

earlier than before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

an activity

has ended.

Award recipient

Page 21: Department of State (NOFO) - Bureau of Educational and

21

Percent of

participants

who traveled abroad for the

first time on an

ECA exchange

program

Participant is a

person or group of

persons that has directly participated

in, and benefits from,

an ECA exchange

program.

Abroad – A country

outside of one’s home country

Count Frequency Each respondent

should only be

counted once per

reporting year following their

program completion.

Calculations

To determine the

percent value, numerator is number

of respondents who

reply “no” while

denominator is the total number of

survey respondents.

Divide the numerator by the denominator

and then multiply by

100 for the percent

value.

To be

completed

by the applicant

To be

completed

by the applicant

Before this exchange

program, did you travel

outside of your home country? [Yes/No] If

yes, why did you travel

outside of your home

country [select all that apply]:

Tourism/

Visit

friends/family

Participation in

another ECA exchange

program

Study

Work

Other: ___________

Post-

Program:

Data should be

collected

no earlier

than before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

an activity

has ended.

Award

recipients

Percent of

foreign

participants who traveled

to the United

States for the

first time on an ECA exchange

program

Participant is a

person or group of

persons that has directly participated

in, and benefits from,

an ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency

Each respondent should only be

counted once per

reporting year following their

program completion.

To be

completed

by the applicant

To be

completed

by the applicant

Before this exchange

program, did you travel

to the United States? [Yes/No] If “yes”, why

did you travel to the

United States [select

all that apply]:

Tourism

Visit friends/family

Participation in

another ECA

exchange program

Study

Work

Post-

Program:

Data should be

collected

no earlier

than before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

Award

recipients

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22

Calculations

To determine the

percent value, numerator is number

of respondents who

reply “no” while

denominator is the total number of

survey respondents.

Divide the numerator by the denominator

and then multiply by

100 for the percent value.

Other: ___________ an activity

has ended.

ECA Objective 2: Increase the impact that participants and alumni have on their communities / countries

ECA Sub-Objective 2.1: Foster participant’s belief that civic engagement benefits communities/countries

Percent of

participants

who believe

that they can have an impact

on their

community or country

Participant is a

participant is a

person or group of

persons that has directly participated

in, and primarily

benefits from, an ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency Each respondent

should only be

counted once per reporting year

following their

program completion.

Calculation

To determine the

percent value, numerator is number

of respondents that

responded “increased” or

“stayed the same”

while denominator is the total number of

survey respondents.

To be

completed

by the

applicant

To be

completed

by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported

data):

As a result of your

program participation, has your confidence in

the following

statements changed? [Increased, stayed the

same, decreased]

I know several ways

in which I can make a difference on some

of society’s most

worrisome problems.

I feel I have the ability to make a

difference in my

local community.

I feel I have the ability to make a

difference in the

global community

Post-

Program:

A post-

program collection

should

occur no earlier than

before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

an activity has ended.

Award

recipient

ECA Objective 3: Strengthen engagement among participants, alumni, beneficiaries, and institutions

Percent of

participants

who identify as

Alumni are program

participants who

have been exposed to

To be

completed

To be

completed

Survey (self-reported

data):

Post-

Program:

A post-

Award

recipient

Page 23: Department of State (NOFO) - Bureau of Educational and

23

a Department

of State

program alumni

at least 36 hours of

an exchange or a

cultural exchange element with the

possibility of

sustained

networking.

Count Frequency

Each respondent should only be

counted once per

reporting year, even if they are eligible for

data collection

through multiple

programs

Calculations

To calculate percentage,

numerator will be

number of alumni who answered “yes”

in response to the

survey question. The

denominator will be number of alumni

who responded to the

survey question. Divide the numerator

by the denominator

and then multiply by

100 for the percent value.

by the

applicant

by the

applicant

Do you consider

yourself an alumni of a

U.S. Department of State program?

(yes/no)

program

collection

should occur no

earlier than

before the

participant departs the

United

States and no later

than 6

weeks after an activity

has ended.

Percent of

alumni who are still in

contact with

ECA program

participants, beneficiaries,

and/or

institutions

Alumni are program

participants who have been exposed to

at least 36 hours of

an exchange or a

cultural exchange element with the

possibility of

sustained networking.

Count Frequency Each respondent

should only be

counted once per

To be

completed by the

applicant

To be

completed by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported

data): Are you still in contact

with the following:

American friends

American

academic

colleagues

American professional

colleagues

Other program

participants from my country

Post-

Program: A post-

program

collection

should occur no

earlier than

before the participant

departs the

United States and

no later

than 6

Award

recipient

Page 24: Department of State (NOFO) - Bureau of Educational and

24

reporting year, even

if they are eligible for

data collection through multiple

programs

Calculations To calculate

percentage,

numerator will be number of alumni

who answered “yes”

in response to the survey question. The

denominator will be

number of alumni

who responded to the survey question.

Divide the numerator

by the denominator and then multiply by

100 for the percent

value.

Other program participants from

my region

Other program

participants from outside my region

Program host

family

U.S. Embassy

weeks after

an activity

has ended.

Percent of participants

who report

increasing their network

of Americans

A network is an interconnected or

interrelated group or

system intentionally convened, sustained,

or otherwise

facilitated through ECA programming.

A participant is

defined as a person or group of persons

that has directly

participated in, and benefits from, an

ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency

Each respondent

should only be counted once per

reporting year

following their program completion.

Calculations

To be completed

by the

applicant

To be completed

by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported data):

Because of your

participation in the program, have you

increased the number

of Americans you are professionally or

personally connected

with? (yes/no)

If yes:

I have ________________

the number of

Americans I am

connected with (answer options:

greatly increased,

moderately increased, barely increased)

Post-Program:

A post-

program collection

should

occur no earlier than

before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

an activity

has ended.

Award recipient

Page 25: Department of State (NOFO) - Bureau of Educational and

25

To determine the

percent value,

numerator is number of respondents who

reply “yes” to the

first question item

while denominator is the total number of

survey respondents.

Divide the numerator by the denominator

and then multiply by

100 for the percent value.

ECA Objective 4: Objective 4: Strengthen a regional/multi-country ASEAN identity among participants and alumni

Percent of

participants

and alumni

who report self-

identification

as part of a regional

ASEAN

community

Participant is a

person or group of

persons that has

directly participated in, and primarily

benefits from, an

ECA exchange program.

Alumni are program

participants who have been exposed to

at least 36 hours of

an exchange or a cultural exchange

element with the

possibility of sustained

networking.

Count Frequency Each respondent

should only be

counted once per reporting year, even

if they are eligible for

data collection through multiple

programs

Calculations To calculate

percentage,

numerator will be number of

To be

completed

by the

applicant

To be

completed

by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported

data):

Do you consider

yourself part of a regional ASEAN

community? (yes/no)

Post-

Program:

A post-

program collection

should

occur no earlier than

before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

an activity has ended.

Award

recipient

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26

participants and

alumni who

answered “yes” in response to the

survey question. The

denominator will be

number of participants and

alumni who

responded to the survey question.

Divide the numerator

by the denominator and then multiply by

100 for the percent

value.

Percent of participants

who report

increasing their network

of peers in the

ASEAN

community from countries

other than their

own

A network is an interconnected or

interrelated group or

system intentionally convened, sustained,

or otherwise

facilitated through

ECA programming.

A participant is

defined as a person or group of persons

that has directly

participated in, and benefits from, an

ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency

Each respondent

should only be counted once per

reporting year

following their

program completion.

Calculations

To determine the percent value,

numerator is number

of respondents who reply “yes” to the

first question item

while denominator is

To be completed

by the

applicant

To be completed

by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported data):

Because of your

participation in the program, have you

increased the number

of peers from other

countries in the ASEAN region you are

professionally or

personally connected with? (yes/no)

If yes:

I have

________________

the number of peers from ASEAN countries

other than my own I

am connected with (answer options:

greatly increased,

moderately increased,

barely increased)

Post-Program:

A post-

program collection

should

occur no

earlier than before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

an activity

has ended.

Award recipient

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27

the total number of

survey respondents.

Divide the numerator by the denominator

and then multiply by

100 for the percent

value.

ECA Objective 5: Strengthen personal, professional, and technical abilities and aptitudes of participants and beneficiaries

Percent of participants

reporting

increases in their job skills

through

training, internships,

and/or

mentoring they

received as part of their

exchange

program

Knowledge, skills, and abilities of

relevance may

include, but are not limited to:

Networking

Technical skills Language proficiency

Participant is a

person or group of persons that has

directly participated

in, and benefits from, an ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency Each respondent

should only be

counted once per reporting year

following their

program completion.

Calculations To determine the

percent value, numerator is number

of respondents who

reply in the affirmative to the

survey question

below while denominator is the

total number of

survey respondents.

Divide the numerator by the denominator

and then multiply by

To be completed

by the

applicant

To be completed

by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported data):

Has participating in

this program increased your job skills

(including language

proficiency)? [Yes/No]

Post-Program:

A post-

program collection

should

occur no earlier than

before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

an activity has ended.

Award recipient

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28

100 for the percent

value.

Percent of

alumni

reporting that

they have used language skills

gained through

ECA program participation

Participant is a

person or group of

persons that has

directly participated in, and benefits from,

an ECA exchange

program.

Count Frequency

Each respondent

should only be counted once per

reporting year

following their program completion.

Calculations To determine the

percent value,

numerator is number

of respondents who reply “yes” to the

first question item

while denominator is the total number of

survey respondents.

Divide the numerator by the denominator

and then multiply by

100 for the percent

value.

To be

completed

by the

applicant

To be

completed

by the

applicant

Survey (self-reported

data):

During your program,

did you learn another language (either

formally or

informally)? [Yes/No]

If yes:

Have you used the

language skills gained through ECA program

participation to

advance your career?

Post-

Program:

A post-

program collection

should

occur no earlier than

before the

participant

departs the United

States and

no later than 6

weeks after

an activity has ended.

Award

recipient

ECA Sub-Objective 5.1: Participants engage in language, academic, professional, and cultural exchange programs

Number of total

participants

Participant is a person or group of

persons that has

directly participated in, and benefits from,

an ECA exchange

program. This

indicator includes American, including

those that are part of

reciprocal exchanges, and

foreign participants.

Count Frequency

To be completed

by the

applicant

To be completed

by the

applicant

Administrative records Semi-annually

Award recipient

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29

Each participant

should only be

counted once per reporting year

following their

program completion

ECA Objective 6: Increase the contribution of exchange programs to local economies in the U.S., and engagement of U.S. businesses, non-governmental organizations, and educational institutions in ECA programming

ECA Sub-Objective 6.1: Exchange participants support local economy during their visit

Amount of

U.S. dollars

spent by foreign

exchange

participants

during their exchange

Calculations

To determine amount

of U.S. dollars, participants will

complete a survey

question that will

request participants to report the amount

in U.S. dollars spent

on food, travel, leisure, and

merchandise during

the program.

To be

completed

by the applicant

To be

completed

by the applicant

Survey (self-reported

data):

In the past [TIMEFRAME], how

much money have you

spent on food, travel,

leisure, and merchandise that was

purchased in the

United States?

$100 or less

$101 - $300

$301 - $500

$501 - $1,000

$1001 or more

Post-

Program:

A post-program

collection

should

occur no earlier than

before the

participant departs the

United

States and no later

than 6

weeks after

an activity has ended.

Award

recipient

Number of

educational institutions

supporting

ECA programs

“Supporting” is

defined as those institutions that host

exchange participants

on inbound (NOT

outbound) programs, that receive or host

cultural program(s)

and/or their participants/envoys.

An institution can be

a grantee, but does

not have to have a contractual

relationship with

ECA. Transactional events (such as a

U.S. educational

institution inquiring about a program at an

EducationUSA

event) should not be

included.

To be

completed by the

applicant

To be

completed by the

applicant

Program administrative

data

Semi-

annually

Award

recipient

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30

ECA Objective 7: Enhance the quality and effectiveness of ECA programs by leveraging the Bureau’s resources, policy,

and stakeholder relationships

Dollar amount ($) spent on

monitoring and

evaluation

activities

This indicator tracks the amount expended

to include salary and

expenses associated

with monitoring and evaluation (M&E)

activities by ECA

Award Recipients.

Award Recipient is

an entity that

undertakes the work of the ECA Bureau

programs, using ECA

funding under a formal legal

agreement. For ECA

Exchange Visitor Programs, these

entities are called

Exchange Sponsors,

which are not ECA-funded, and consist

of public, private, or

nonprofit entities designated by the

Department of State

to support persons involved in exchange

program activities or

events.

Count Frequency

Each Award

Recipient should only be counted once

per reporting period,

even if they have

implemented multiple programs.

N/A N/A Survey (self-reported data):

What is the total dollar

amount for your

organization's expenses related to monitoring

and evaluation of ECA

awards (for programmatic, non-

financial reasons) for

Fiscal Year 2019?

For your convenience,

we have included

details below on what activities constitute

monitoring and

evaluation. These include:

Reviewing

program outputs

and any outcomes

Reviewing web-based analytics

Data collection

with implementing

partners

Program conceptualization

through

review/reflection

Developing theory of change and/or

logic models

Working with the

ECA Evaluation

Division

Event observation

Data collection with program

participants

Site visits to U.S.

host institutions

Discussions with program

stakeholders

Semi-annually

ECA Evaluation

Division

(Note: Award

recipients should track

this

information in order to

report back to

the

Evaluation Division)

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31

regarding program

performance

Reviewing grantee

performance monitoring reports

(Internal only)

International

monitoring trips

Data collection efforts to measure

against the FBS

Managing and

reviewing external

evaluations in conjunction with

the Evaluation

Division

Creating or reviewing

evaluation data

collection tools

Conducting M&E

capacity-building activities for ECA

implementing

partners

Attending capacity-building

workshops,

presentations, or trainings on M&E ·

Research activities

intended to inform

program design

Please note: either one

person can enter the information in for the

costs of the entire

organization, or each person responsible for

an ECA program can

enter the information

for ONLY that particular program--

whichever is easier for

your organization.

Applicant Objective 1: To be completed by the applicant

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32

D.3i. Virtual Exchange Component: ECA welcomes innovative ideas on how

organizations can leverage appropriate mobile and/or online technologies to maintain

engagement among exchange participants, encourage project collaboration, and widen

participation in the overall project to a broader audience. ECA strongly encourages

organizations submitting proposals in response to this solicitation to suggest one or more

virtual exchange components to complement the in-person exchange. The virtual

exchange component(s) could come before, during, and/or after the physical exchange.

The objective for the virtual exchange component(s), defined as technology-enabled,

sustainable, people-to-people, cross-cultural exchanges, is to augment the impact of the

in-person exchange described in this solicitation. ECA encourages organizations to

propose virtual exchange ideas that take advantage of ECA’s existing web and social

networking platforms, including our International Exchange Alumni space. Virtual

exchange components would be coordinated with and approved by the ECA program

office and U.S. missions abroad on a project by project basis.

D.3j. Communications Guidance for ECA Recipients: All ECA award recipients

must adhere to the requirements in ECA’s Communications Guidance on the creation of

program branding and attribution, websites, social media, and press.

D.3k. Budget Format: Applicants must submit SF- 424A – “Budget Information –

Non-Construction Programs” along with a comprehensive budget for the entire program.

There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative

and program budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program

component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.

D.3l. Key Personnel: ECA recommends that the applicant identify intended key

personnel positions via an asterisk (*) or other marking in the proposal budget, budget

narrative, or a separate appendix. If not provided in the application, recipients must

submit the names, titles, and brief biographical sketches of key personnel to the Grants

Officer and GOR within 30 days of an award being issued. Additional information

regarding key personnel requirements can be found in the State Department’s Standard

Indicator To be completed by

the applicant

To be

completed

by the applicant

To be

completed

by the applicant

To be completed by the

applicant

To be

completed

by the applicant

To be

completed by

the applicant

Applicant Objective 2: To be completed by the applicant

Indicator To be completed by

the applicant

To be

completed by the

applicant

To be

completed by the

applicant

To be completed by the

applicant

To be

completed by the

applicant

To be

completed by the applicant

Indicator To be completed by the applicant

To be completed

by the

applicant

To be completed

by the

applicant

To be completed by the applicant

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33

Terms and Conditions, VI. Recipient Responsibility and Compliance with Federal

Requirements (link to: https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-

executive/).

D.3m. Non-Competitive Continuations: For competitions that will exercise a Non-

Competitive Continuation applicants must submit:

- the SF- 424A which must include the budget request amount for the base-year of

the program;

- a detailed proposal narrative and budget for the base year of funding (Please refer

to the Proposal Submission Instruction Document (PSI) for general budget

guidance.) The narrative should also include a brief commitment to implement

the program for the base year, plus two additional non-competitive continuation

years, pending successful program performance and the availability of funds; and

- an abbreviated/estimated summary budget presenting the total projected

administrative and program costs for the anticipated total duration of

programming (base year, plus two non-competitive continuation years).

To exercise the Non-Competitive Continuation mechanism the recipient will be

required to submit:

1.) performance and financial reports on time;

2.) a request in writing to ECA at least 30 days in receipt of the NCC invitation;

3.) a summary budget that projects program expenses through the end of the current

year;

4.) a detailed budget outlining both administrative and program expenses for the

requested non-competitive continuation year; and

5.) a brief narrative to support the continuation of the award.

The ECA Grants Officer and Program Officer will:

1.) closely monitor the recipient’s performance through site visits, desk audits,

mandatory performance and financial reports, consultations, and other forms of

communication and dialogue before exercising additional non-competitive

continuations. (Additional details regarding monitoring and oversight of the

program by ECA representatives will be provided at the time the base-year award is

made.)

2.) review and evaluate all mandatory annual program and financial reports;

_ All program and financial reporting requirements must be current and up-to-date

before the Bureau will exercise additional non-competitive continuations.

- Any/all concerns, issues, or modifications requested by the Grants Officer or

Program Officer to the original program design or method of implementation

must be responded to in writing.

- The ECA Grants Officer and Program Officer will review and advise of ECA’s

approval or disapproval of the response before issuing subsequent non-

competitive continuations.

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34

3.) Prior Grants Officer approval is required to utilize the remainder from an

unobligated balance from a prior funding period to the subsequent funding period. If

the Grants Officer determines that some or all of the unobligated funds are not

necessary to perform the program activity, the Grants Officer may decline the

Recipient’s request to utilize the remainder from the unobligated balance.

The Grants Officer may, at their discretion, use the unobligated balance to reduce or

offset future funding for a subsequent funding period. An unobligated balance at the

end of a funding period is not sufficient justification to utilize the remainder of

funds. A final determination and approval to utilize the remainder of any funds will

be communicated via a cost amendment with adjustment, if any, to new obligation

amounts.

i. The request to utilize the remainder from an unobligated balance must

include:

a. A brief narrative why funds remain unobligated and how the

unobligated funds will be used to complete the previously approved

goals and objectives of the program; and,

b. A detailed budget that reflects the amount of unobligated funds to date,

and anticipated expenditures in the subsequent period of performance

for all cost categories under the authorized budget.

D.3n. Allowable Costs for the program include the following: Please refer to section

F.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements of this document for more

information on allowable costs. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete

budget guidelines and formatting instructions.

Allowable costs for the program include the following:

Administrative Costs:

Staff salaries and benefits. Each staff person must be listed separately.

Provide the percentage of time spent on the program.

Other direct expenses

Indirect costs

Program Costs:

Fellowship costs including, but not limited to, honoraria for speakers,

educational materials, lodging, room rental(s), welcome and farewell

events, and participant admissions;

Closing event costs;

Sub-awards;

Travel costs including, but not limited to, round trip international

airfare, visa travel, ground transportation, domestic travel, and other

transit costs;

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35

Per participant allowances including baggage allowance, travel

allowance ($100), book and cultural allowance ($200), and meals and

incidentals;

Alumni Programming/follow-on activities, including seed grants,

reciprocal exchanges, etc.;

Tax withholding;

Wire transfer fees;

Consultant fees;

Web hosting;

Communications (i.e., participant cell phones or sim cards);

Recruitment and outreach materials;

Medical contingency;

Medical costs related to the pandemic including, but not limited to,

testing and medically required quarantine (outside of medical facilities

covered under ASPE);

Reasonable accommodations; and

Other cost categories as necessary

Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting

instructions.

D.3o. Application Deadline and Method of Submission:

Application Deadline Date: Monday, May 24, 2021

Method of Submission: Applications may only be submitted electronically through

Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available at

Grants.gov in the “Search Grants” portion of the system.

D.3p. Grants.gov Registration, Application Submission, and Receipt Procedures

Eligible organizations should follow the instructions available in the ‘Get Started’ portion

of the site (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html).

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

Applicants should read instructions carefully and prepare the information requested

before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required

information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches

for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration

should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet

required application submission deadlines. Applicants should check with appropriate

staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this NOFO to confirm or

determine their registration status with Grants.gov. Organization applicants can find

complete instructions here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-

registration.html

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How to Submit an Application to ECA via Grants.gov

For access to complete instruction on how to apply for Notice of Funding Opportunities

on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-

grants.html

Grants.gov Support and Submission Issues

Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission issues to:

Grants.gov Customer Support

Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726

Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; closed on federal holidays

Email: [email protected]

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Applicants have until midnight (11:59 p.m.), Washington, D.C. time of the closing date

to ensure that their entire application has been uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are

no exceptions to the above deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after the

application deadline date and time will be automatically rejected by the Grants.gov

system, and will be technically ineligible.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline

to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.

Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic

date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully

received by Grants.gov. The applicant, Authorized Organization Representative, AOR

will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number

(GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their

application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and

Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When ECA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, Grants.gov will

provide an electronic acknowledgement of receipt of the application to the email address

of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the

official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Please also be mindful

of any Grants.gov generated error messages that may appear during the application

process as they may result in some documents not transmitting correctly.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that

transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Grants.gov

will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an

email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports

that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring

during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process

the application.

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37

The Grants.gov website includes extensive information on all phases/aspects of the

Grants.gov process, including an extensive section on frequently asked questions, located

under the "Applicant FAQs" section of the website. ECA strongly recommends that all

potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov website, well in advance of

submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA will not notify you upon

receipt of electronic applications.

PLEASE NOTE: ECA bears no responsibility for applicant timeliness of submission or data errors

resulting from transmission or conversion processes for proposals submitted via

Grants.gov. Prior to submitting applications through Grants.gov, please ensure you meet

all Grants.gov system and software requirements, including Adobe software

compatibility. You can verify if your version of Adobe software is compatible with

Grants.gov, by visiting https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-

compatibility.html.

It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via the Grants.gov web

portal to ensure that proposals have been received by Grants.gov in their entirety,

and ECA bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or

conversion processes.

D.3q. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 12372 does not

apply to this program.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. Proposals will be deemed

ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation

Package. All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the

Public Diplomacy section overseas and State Department regional bureaus, where

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau

regulations and guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review.

Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by other

Department elements. All awards will be assessed for risk prior to their issuance. Final

funding decisions are at the discretion of the U.S. Department of State's Assistant

Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for assistance

awards resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

E.1. REVIEW CRITERIA

Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed according to the criteria

stated below. These criteria are not rank ordered and all carry equal weight in the

proposal evaluation:

1. Quality of Program Plan and Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: Proposals

should exhibit originality and clearly demonstrate how the applicant will meet the

objectives laid out in this solicitation. A detailed agenda and staff work plan should

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38

demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Activities should be

reasonable, feasible, and form a coherent program for participant exploration of the topic.

Competitive proposals will clearly promote ECA’s mission: to foster mutual

understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries

to promote friendly and peaceful relations.

2. Support of Diversity: Proposals should show substantive support of the Bureau's

policy on diversity. Proposals should demonstrate how diversity will be achieved in the

different aspects of program administration and of program design, content and

implementation, including individual grantee/participant recruitment, selection and

placement. It is important that proposals have a clearly articulated diversity plan and not

simply express general support for the concept of diversity.

3. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a fully developed Performance

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) narrative and a PMP that includes the goals,

objectives, and indicators outlined in the M&E section, as well as any applicant-designed,

program-specific objectives and indicators that sufficiently measure the relevant program

outputs and outcomes during the period of performance. Proposals will be evaluated for

feasibility and alignment with the M&E section, including: 1) M&E resources,

monitoring mechanisms, and data analysis and reporting procedures being sufficiently

detailed and realistic; 2) a realistic learning plan that provides a strategy to review,

understand, and incorporate M&E data into programmatic decisions and practices in

conjunction with the Grant Officer/GOR; and 3) a PMP that is complete, clear, and well-

organized. All submitted PMPs and M&E narrative sections will be reviewed to ensure

the applicant has provided information on the minimum data required as per the

solicitation.

4. Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: The overhead and administrative components

of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All

other items should be necessary and appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost-

sharing through other private sector support, as well as institutional direct funding

contributions.

5. Institutional Track Record and Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an

institutional record of successful exchange programs, including responsible fiscal

management and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past Bureau awards

(Grants or Cooperative Agreements) as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau

will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of

new applicants. Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be fully qualified

to achieve the project’s goals.

6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should discuss provisions made for follow-up with

returned participants as a means of establishing longer-term individual and institutional

linkages. Proposals also should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity (without

ECA support) ensuring that ECA supported programs are not isolated events. Please see

the POGI for additional information on follow-on activities.

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39

F. Federal Award Administration Information

F.1. Award Notices: Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by

Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. Successful

applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from the Bureau’s Grants

Office. The FAA and the original proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable)

shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S.

Government. The FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and transmitted

to the recipient’s responsible officer identified in the application.

Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of the application review

from the ECA program office coordinating this competition following the completion of

the review process.

F.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Terms and Conditions for the

Administration of ECA agreements include the following: Office of Management and

Budget’s Guidance 2 CFR Parts 200 and 600, entitled the Uniform Administrative

Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Effective

December 26, 2014, replacing the previous circulars).

For a copy of the OMB Guidance cited, please contact the U.S. Government Publishing

Office or download from the www.ecfr.gov website.

Please reference the following websites for additional information:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb

https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm

F.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with an electronic copy of the

following required reports:

1.) Performance Progress Reports (PPRs) shall be required at a minimum annually

and no more frequently than quarterly. Annual reports shall be due 120 calendar

days after the Cooperative Agreement; quarterly or semi-annual reports shall be

due 30 days after the reporting period. (Frequency of these reports will be

determined by the Grants Officer and Program Officer). The complete report and

supporting documentation must be uploaded by the Recipient as a Post Award

Activity under the corresponding record for this Cooperative Agreement/Grant in

the U.S. Department of State’s SAMS Domestic.

2.) The Federal Financial Report (FFR SF-425/SF-425a) must be submitted through

the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Payment Management

System (PMS). The electronic version of the FFR can be accessed at:

http://www.dpm.psc.gov/. Once a financial report has been approved by the

Department, the Recipient must upload the approved report to SAMS Domestic,

in the same manner specified for the programmatic reports. Failure to comply

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40

with these reporting requirements may jeopardize the Recipient's eligibility for

future Cooperative Agreements/Grants.

In the event you are having difficulty uploading reports and the ILMS help desk is

not providing sufficient assistance, please email

[email protected].

3.) A final program and financial report no more than 120 days after the expiration or

termination of the award;

4.) Because the Competition will allow for the exercise of Non-Competitive

Continuations (NCC), applicants must submit program and financial reports on

time. The due dates for these reports will be included in the Cooperative

Agreement. The program and financial reports must demonstrate substantial

progress by addressing progress towards the original approved goals and

objectives, relative activities and events, and supporting fiscal data. The reports

will be reviewed by both the assigned Grant Officer and Program Officer.

Award recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing their evaluation findings to

the Bureau in their regular program reports. (Please refer to D.3h. Program Monitoring

and Evaluation information.)

All data collected, including survey responses and contact information, must be

maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the Bureau upon request.

F.4. Program Data Requirements: Award recipients will be required to maintain

specific data on program participants and activities in an electronically accessible

database format that can be shared with the Bureau as required. At a minimum, the data

must include the following:

1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all persons who

travel internationally on funds provided by the agreement or who benefit from the

award funding but do not travel.

2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing dates of travel and

cities in which any exchange experiences take place. Final schedules for in-

country and U.S. activities must be received by the ECA Program Officer at least

three work days prior to the official opening of the activity.

G. Agency Contacts

For questions about this announcement, please contact Study of the U.S. Branch

(ECA/A/E/USS) Program Officers Kevin Orchison, [email protected] or (202)

255-7108 or Ian Billard, [email protected] or (202) 394-9199.

All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this NOFO should reference the title and

funding opportunity number listed at the top of this solicitation.

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Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals.

Once the NOFO deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with

applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.

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H. Other Information:

Notice:

The terms and conditions published in this NOFO are binding and may not be modified

by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information provided by the Bureau that

contradicts published language will not be binding. Issuance of the NOFO does not

constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the

right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the

program and the availability of funds. Awards will be subject to periodic programmatic

and financial reporting and evaluation requirements as outlined in the NOFO.

Matthew Lussenhop March 17, 2021

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

U.S. Department of State

State